Thaksin Completes Man City Buyout

[Plus]

In prestige terms it is certainly a step down but I would guess in salary terms it would be a step up and managers these days are equally as mercenary as players (Saint Sven included).

In my personal opinion Sven took the job mainly because of the money and I wouldn't put the word "saint" anywhere near Sven, even in jest. That's his problem - he is used to big fat paychecks but he doesn't deliver anymore. His next employer needs to overlook his sub par England performance as well as four last months at City when he looked absolutely helpless.

Scholari is an old man who has made a fortune already. Will he prostitute himself for an extra million or two?

Top managers are real professionals, they are not driven by greed but by desire for perfection.

And that is Thaksin's problem - he thinks anyone would do anything for the money. He doesn't know any better, he is lost when it comes to fans love for their club or manager's pride in his achievements.

[HarryHacker]

Samak said. "I don't believe Thai people would do it. No Thais are that stupid," he added.

So now Samak has turned his attention from insulting the intelligence of all Thais to insulting the intelligence of Britons and Man City supporters in particular!

Nobody called the Brits stupid. They just said that no Thai is that stupid. i.e. a Thai national knows you can't do that, hence they would be stupid. A Brit (or any other nation for that matter) wouldn't know that you can't do that to the Thai flag. If you go to any football game, people all over the world write on their own national flags ALL the time.

If there is a story that specifically says that Samak called the Brits stupid, i will bow down to the above.

I've not posted on this thread for a while but as for my view on this situation. It's <deleted> ridiculous.

Mr BJ, as you know the ground very well, from where Taksin was standing, could he have seen the flag or was it above him as such?

[Insight]

Thaksin could always try and sue the UK media outlets who are releasing this reputation-damaging news.

I really hope he tries...

[mrbojangles]

Samak said. "I don't believe Thai people would do it. No Thais are that stupid," he added.

So now Samak has turned his attention from insulting the intelligence of all Thais to insulting the intelligence of Britons and Man City supporters in particular!

Nobody called the Brits stupid. They just said that no Thai is that stupid. i.e. a Thai national knows you can't do that, hence they would be stupid. A Brit (or any other nation for that matter) wouldn't know that you can't do that to the Thai flag. If you go to any football game, people all over the world write on their own national flags ALL the time.

If there is a story that specifically says that Samak called the Brits stupid, i will bow down to the above.

I've not posted on this thread for a while but as for my view on this situation. It's <deleted> ridiculous.

Mr BJ, as you know the ground very well, from where Taksin was standing, could he have seen the flag or was it above him as such?

I was in Thailand on the actual day Harry, so i don't really know where the flag was located. Unless it was on the same side as him and below, he should have been able to view it quite clearly. However, i doubt he would have been able to do much about it, short of sending in a load of heavies, to remove it.

[ratcatcher]

THE NATION MAY 2 ----23.00

Man City players moot boycotting Thai tour - Guardian

Team angered by Thaksin decision to sack manager

Thaksin Shinawatra's decision to fire Sven-Goran Eriksson is threatening to lead to a dressing-room mutiny at Manchester City after it transpired that the players had offered to boycott the club's end-of-season promotional tour to Thailand in support of their beleaguered manager.

A delegation of senior players - led, it is understood, by the captain Richard Dunne - approached Eriksson earlier this week and offered to put their names to a public statement expressing strong misgivings about Thaksin's ruthlessness and accusing the former prime minister of Thailand of making a grave mistake.

As a Manchester Evening News poll reported that 97% of City's fans were against Thaksin's treatment of Eriksson, it has also become apparent that Dunne is so aggrieved by the current chaos that he is thinking of leaving the club this summer and that the backlash extends to the boardroom, where the chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and deputy chairman, John Wardle, both sympathise with the former England head coach.

While Mackintosh and Wardle reluctantly accept that they are powerless to prevent Thaksin from changing his mind, the mood among the players is so rebellious that they have held a lengthy meeting to discuss ways of offering a public show of support for Eriksson.

In the heat of the moment the players discussed effectively going on strike in a move that will evoke memories of Eriksson's time as England manager, when the Football Association withdrew Rio Ferdinand from a Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey because he had missed a drugs test. On that occasion the other England players threatened to down tools before being talked out of being so militant.

The idea put forward by City's players involved embarrassing Thaksin in his native country by refusing to take part in a game against a Thailand Premier All-Stars team on May 17, as well as a match in Hong Kong against a South China Invitational XI five days later. The players, who are due to leave on May 14 and perform a series of promotional duties such as opening a new club shop, asked Eriksson what he thought about them putting together a letter in which they would refuse to travel without him in charge. Though grateful, Eriksson was against the idea, believing it compromised the players' own positions and would do no good anyway.

Since then it has emerged that, farcically, Eriksson might still be in charge of the tour anyway, for no other reason than Thaksin does not believe he will have a new manager in place, his first choice, Luiz Felipe Scolari, being contracted to the Portuguese football federation until the end of the European Championship.

The players, meanwhile, are still staunchly behind Eriksson but have accepted that they should not do anything that breaches their own contracts. Nonetheless, it is likely they will be far more reluctant to satisfy Thaksin's requirements than they have been in the past, most recently when Joe Hart and Darius Vassell were asked to record a video message saying how much they were looking forward to visiting Thailand. The clips were shown at a press conference to promote the event in Bangkok on Wednesday.

It is also clear that whoever replaces Eriksson will have his work cut out winning over a group of players who are so united behind the current manager and that it is quite conceivable Dunne will have left the club. The Republic of Ireland international has only a year left on his contract and, though he has strong emotional ties with City, he is said to be closer than any other player to Eriksson and disillusioned about the direction in which the club are going.

More immediately Eriksson takes his team to Liverpool on Sunday for his penultimate match in charge. City's supporters are planning a protest but Thaksin is not expected to attend as he prepares for his trial in Thailand on corruption charges. Eriksson will certainly have plenty to talk about with Rafael Benํtez if the conversation gets around to their clubs' owners but City are reluctant for the Swede to talk publicly, cancelling his weekly press briefing today "due to exceptional circumstances".

by the Guardian online

Looks like the dream is set to become a nightmare.

[Mobi]

City owner Thaksin has offered Jose Mourinho the chance to replace current Eastlands boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. Intermediaries for the Thai have already approached Mourinho through his agent Jose Mendez. (Daily Express)

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I believe our dear ex leader is becoming more and more delusional

[sriracha john]

Sven is gone and kaput... but it's not Jose Mourinho that will replace him....

BREAKING NEWS

Thaksin 'hires Brazilian Scolari' to coach Man City

The British media reported on Saturday that Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has fired Sven Goran Eriksson and has hired Luiz Felipe Scolari, the current Portugal national manager, to coach his team next season.

Thaksin "Shinawatra's overtures and the promise of a 2.5 million-pound annual contract have been difficult to resist and Scolari has told his network of coaches and scouts he will take charge at City," said the Mirror newspaper. The salary is equivalent to roughly 155 milion baht. Thaksin targeted "Big Phil," as Scolari is known, after making it clear to Eriksson that the Swede will be fired at the end of the season, said the report. Brazilian Scolari, 59, had already said he will quit as Portugal boss after Euro 2008, will then take charge at Eastlands after flying to England for talks with Shinawatra on Wednesday. During the past week, there has been a threatened player revolt at Man City, with captain Richard Dunne, Martin Petrov and Elano unhappy at Eriksson's impending and shock departure. There was a brief threat to refuse to fly to Thailand for a match against Thai all-stars later this month. Thaksin hopes Scolari's appointment will appease the fans and his players, as well as opening the door to big-name signings, said the Mirror. "[Thaksin] has made it clear there will be money to spend to strengthen the squad, but by sacking Eriksson he has also spelt out a strong message that he expects instant

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=127451

=============================================================================

Sven wakens up to to the nightmare that is Thaksin...

"It's my way, or the highway" coupled with "I am an expert in all fields"....

still, he got off lighter than Thaksin's other victims... the murdered ones....

[sriracha john]

Thaksin's next victim...

Luiz Felipe Scolari

Luiz Felipe Scolari gets Manchester City job

Scolari takes over from Eriksson on £2.5 million-a-year deal

Luiz Felipe Scolari has agreed to become the new manager of Manchester City.

City's Thai supremo Thaksin Shinawatra targeted 'Big Phil' after making it clear Sven Goran Eriksson will be axed at the end of the season. Brazilian Scolari, 59, who had said he will quit as Portugal boss after Euro 2008, will then take charge at Eastlands after flying to England for talks with Shinawatra on Wednesday.

Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, was at Chelsea's Champions League clash with Liverpool where super-agent Pini Zahavi finalised the deal.

Hardman Scolari, who has a reputation as a strict disciplinarian but also a flair for attacking football, turned down the chance to manage England before the last World Cup.

But Shinawatra's overtures and the promise of a £2.5 million-a-year contract have been difficult to resist and Scolari has told his network of coaches and scouts he will take charge at City.

Ex-Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho and Croatia manager Slaven Bilic have been linked to a move to Manchester as Shinawatra was lambasted for axing Eriksson after the ex-England boss's impressive first season in charge at Eastlands.

There has also been a threatened player revolt with Martin Petrov, Elano and Richard Dunne unhappy at Eriksson's impending and shock departure.

But Shinawatra hopes Scolari's appointment will appease the fans and his players, as well as opening the door to big-name signings.

Shinawatra has made it clear there will be money to spend to strengthen the squad, but by sacking Eriksson he has also spelt out a strong message that he expects instant success.

That does not appear to have fazed Scolari who outwitted Eriksson three times when he was in charge of England.

'Big Phil' masterminded Brazil's win over England in the 2002 World Cup and twice led Portugal to victories over England on penalties in Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup.

Shinawatra has been left unhappy at City's dramatic loss of form and believes he needs a stronger man in charge if the club are to push for Europe and to break into the top four.

But Eriksson has caught admiring glances for the job he has done at City and Benfica and Barcelona have targeted the Swede.

- The Mirror (UK) / 02-05-08

[bannork]

After England sacked Eriksson he received 11,000 pounds a week for doing nothing for a considerable period of time, presumably Thaksin will have to pay him for the next 2 years, again for nothing.

What a fantastic job!

[sriracha john]

Thaksin Shinawatra has much to learn

Given that Thaksin Shinawatra has been accused by a human rights group of presiding over the assassination of drug dealers, he is unlikely to be kept awake by criticism that he has been a bit hasty in deciding to terminate Sven-Goran Eriksson's contract as Manchester City manager. Nor is Eriksson likely to fret overmuch. The sillier and more impatient football gets, the richer he becomes. The Swede will never be short of a smile. Or an offer to work somewhere else.

But once again the supporters of a club - in this case City's, who would happily have settled at the beginning of the season for a top-half finish and the double over United - look on impotent and aghast.

Who, if we cast our minds back a few months to Christmas, would have believed it? *For one, ME* Eriksson's City were fourth, one place above Liverpool. Now Eriksson is on his way out and Liverpool's Benitez, because his bosses have decided to listen to the fans while conducting their internecine feud, occupies a stronger position despite his team's failure to reach the Champions League final. Their defeat at Chelsea means today's visit of City to Anfield is what used to be called an end-of-season match, bereft of significance with too much attention being paid to the dugouts where the managers sit.

City's players are so opposed to the impending loss of Eriksson that they are reported to have offered to boycott the club's forthcoming friendlies in Thailand, where Thaksin is to face trial on corruption charges, and Hong Kong. Typically, Eriksson is understood to have dissuaded them on the grounds that it would not change Shinawatra's mind. So how they will react today is difficult to predict. More important from the supporters' point of view, however, is next season, for which plans must be laid.

City must begin all over again, probably under a man who has never before managed a club in Europe. Football is not an easy game and it appears Thaksin has not even started to learn it.

- Telegraph (UK) / 04-05-08

[sriracha john]

Fans sticking by Sven-Göran Eriksson

Manchester City fans plan to protest at Anfield today as it is confirmed Thaksin Shinawatra plans to sack the manager

*will Mr. BoJ be joining in?*

MANCHESTER CITY cancelled their weekly press conference on Friday to avoid exacerbating the embarrassment caused by their treatment of Sven-Göran Eriksson, and the club must be relieved that their last two Premier League matches are both away, precluding a full-scale demonstration by supporters at Eastlands.

That Eriksson is to be sacked at the end of his first season in charge has been common knowledge since it was revealed by The Sunday Times three weeks ago. That the fans are opposed to the move has been made obvious ever since, and the hard core travelling to Anfield for this afternoon’s match against Liverpool intend to make their feelings clear.

The decision by City’s owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, to ditch Eriksson and court Luiz Felipe Scolari, who will be available after taking Portugal to the European Championships in June, is unpopular but symptomatic of increasingly demanding times. A new breed of owner, the foreign oligarch, is replacing the old benevolent chairman and wants immediate results for his money.

Eriksson can count himself unlucky but will cry all the way to the bank, where he can deposit his second seven-figure pay-off in less than two years. In total, the FA and City will have compensated him by more than £5 million, on top of extravagant wages, for what they deemed to be failure. Nice work if you can get it.

Shinawatra is being hasty in the rush to pass judgment. Eriksson took over a team going nowhere after the ineffective management of his predecessor, Stuart Pearce, another fans’ favourite. City won three and lost nine of their last 15 Premier League matches last season and needed major surgery during the summer.

Eriksson, backed by £50 million of Shinawatra’s * also known as Thai taxpayers' * money, supervised what at first seemed to be an impressive reconstruction. With Elano (£8 million), Vedran Corluka (£8.7 million) and Martin Petrov (£4.7 million) to the fore, City won their first three matches, one a Manchester derby, and there was pie-in-the-sky talk of challenging for a Champions League place – even after the wheels came off in spectacular fashion in October, with a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea.

Times (UK) / 04-05-08

[sriracha john]

Taxing Thaksin has City in fine mess

Sven's sacking will be sad and LMA are right to set their sights on trigger-happy owners with unrealistic expectations

By a quirk of the fixture list, allied to the regrettable impatience of one of a new breed of foreign club owners, it appears that the City of Manchester Stadium has already seen the last of Sven Goran Eriksson.

Manchester City's final game of the season next Sunday was originally scheduled to be at home to Middlesbrough, but because the Uefa Cup final is being staged at the ground three days later, the two Middlesbrough matches were reversed.

After visiting Liverpool in the televised game this afternoon, City therefore finish at the Riverside Stadium instead and Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai owner intent on sacking Eriksson after only 10 months, will be spared an embarrassing demonstration by home supporters.

Online polls in the past week have shown support for the former England manager running at between 90 and 97 per cent *perhaps one is needed on Thaivisa???*, despite the team having slipped from the top four at Christmas to ninth, which is where they will probably finish – up five places from last season under Stuart Pearce.

Thaksin, who relied heavily on being in touch with public opinion during his controversial period as prime minister of Thailand, is suddenly about as popular as Gordon Brown, and has already discovered that even recruiting a replacement with as high a profile as Luiz Felipe Scolari would not pacify the City fans.

They are a remarkably patient as well as long-suffering bunch, following a club who have not won a major trophy since the League Cup in 1976.

Eriksson's problem in terms of results is that City have done things the wrong way round by having an excellent first half of the season before falling away. Winning their first three games – the third of them at home to Manchester United – put them top of the earliest Premier League table and they won every home game before Christmas, remaining in the top four almost the whole time.

Matches such as the 6-0 defeat at Chelsea in October nevertheless emphasised that they were in a false position, and the manager sensibly distanced himself from excitable talk of breaking up the big four's monopoly. "I'm sure the new owner wants to challenge for that," he said in these pages at the time, adding presciently: "But it's difficult."

How difficult soon became apparent as City drifted down the table. Having arrived only a month before the new season and been forced to buy in a hurry, Eriksson has not surprisingly made as many bad signings as good.

If one good thing comes out of the present mess, it will be that the wider issue of short-term thinking by trigger-happy owners receives greater attention. The League Managers Association, under their new chief executive, Richard Bevan, have taken the unusual step of criticising a possible sacking even before it happens, pointing out that "the current situation reflects a growing trend of football club owners having unrealistic expectations and not giving managers sufficient support and time in the role".

Later this month, the All Party Parliamentary Football Group, who have 150 MPs as members, begin an inquiry into the governance of English football. Their chairman, Alan Keen MP says: "People in charge of football clubs do seem to think managers can bring instant success. Sven has been relatively successful anyway. What on earth do the owners expect in a first season?"

Considerably more than ninth position and a double over Manchester United, it seems.

- Independent (UK) / 04-05-08

[kmart]

Thaksin should just get his missus to visit the opposition's manager before games with the customary suitcases full of cash..?

His ego will not permit him to be excluded from the top 4 "big boys club" for any amount of time. He has been given an unusually easy ride by the British press so far. Wait for this to change...

[Ricardo]

Thaksin could always try and sue the UK media outlets who are releasing this reputation-damaging news.

Perhaps for a billion Baht ... the traditional Thaksin-figure ?

Online polls in the past week have shown support for the former England manager running at between 90 and 97 per cent, despite the team having slipped from the top four at Christmas to ninth, which is where they will probably finish – up five places from last season under Stuart Pearce. A very-reasonable result, surely ?

Thaksin, who relied heavily on being in touch with public opinion during his controversial period as prime minister of Thailand, is suddenly about as popular as Gordon Brown Great company to be in, indeed , and has already discovered that even recruiting a replacement with as high a profile as Luiz Felipe Scolari would not pacify the City fans.

They are a remarkably patient as well as long-suffering bunch, following a club who have not won a major trophy since the League Cup in 1976.

- Independent (UK) / 04-05-08

These polls demonstrate, what Thaksin as owner still appears not to understand, that English football-fans are remarkably loyal and committed to their clubs and players. And rightly so ! The MC-fans and players, having seen Sven make a reasonable start in a relatively short time and with limited resources (by Premier League standards) , are very unhappy to see 'their' manager stabbed-in-the-back like this.

Now money will have to be spent, paying-off a perfectly good manager, which might otherwise have gone to the 'war-chest' for buying new players or improving facilities.

One can only express sympathy for them, and wish them better luck, next season. And hope that Thaksin accepts some of the blame, for mis-reading his newest business and the people involved in it, and can learn from the experience. Sadly I , for one, will not be holding my breath.

[Sandstone Art]

Thaksin could always try and sue the UK media outlets who are releasing this reputation-damaging news.

Perhaps for a billion Baht ... the traditional Thaksin-figure ?

Online polls in the past week have shown support for the former England manager running at between 90 and 97 per cent, despite the team having slipped from the top four at Christmas to ninth, which is where they will probably finish – up five places from last season under Stuart Pearce. A very-reasonable result, surely ?

Thaksin, who relied heavily on being in touch with public opinion during his controversial period as prime minister of Thailand, is suddenly about as popular as Gordon Brown Great company to be in, indeed , and has already discovered that even recruiting a replacement with as high a profile as Luiz Felipe Scolari would not pacify the City fans.

They are a remarkably patient as well as long-suffering bunch, following a club who have not won a major trophy since the League Cup in 1976.

- Independent (UK) / 04-05-08

These polls demonstrate, what Thaksin as owner still appears not to understand, that English football-fans are remarkably loyal and committed to their clubs and players. And rightly so ! The MC-fans and players, having seen Sven make a reasonable start in a relatively short time and with limited resources (by Premier League standards) , are very unhappy to see 'their' manager stabbed-in-the-back like this.

Now money will have to be spent, paying-off a perfectly good manager, which might otherwise have gone to the 'war-chest' for buying new players or improving facilities.

One can only express sympathy for them, and wish them better luck, next season. And hope that Thaksin accepts some of the blame, for mis-reading his newest business and the people involved in it, and can learn from the experience. Sadly I , for one, will not be holding my breath.

Hoping that Thaksin accepting some of the blames will never happen!

The political situation will not be what it is today....there will be no coup in 2006 and the court is not so extra busy if our dear Dr Thaksin accepts some of his previous 'blames' during office as PM.

So, it is going to be a Faultless Boss that he always project himself to be.

[apetley]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/04...cs_30072213.php

"I saw the flag but the match was in progress" : Thaksin

By The Nation

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he saw the Thai national flag that had his name inscribed in Manchester City stadium but did not do anything because the match was in progress.

"Yes, I saw the flag that day, but did not do anything because the match is in progress. I had the fans who hung the flag informed after the match finished," he said.

Thaksin who returned to Bangkok from London on Sunday is the owner of Manchester City football club.

Several photos taken from the club's stadium showed his name inscribed on a Thai national flag. The matter caused dissatisfaction among Thai public and it goes against laws in Thailand.

He claimed the fans did it because they did not know it was prohibited in Thailand and because they "loved Thailand and the club."

"The fans are now well aware that the actions caused unhappiness in Thailand. They asked me to convey their regrets. They did not know and understand our culture. When they were informed, they felt sorry and stopped doing that," Thaksin said.

Are these really the thoughts and words of English football fans?

Or is somebody else putting words into their mouths?

[nickynomates]

Reality appears to be setting in with each tick of the clock. However I conceded Thaksin still may come through if he feels or suspects problems in Getting back in power.

John, you really are going up a blind alley with this one, and as such you start to lose credibility. As I said before, I share your views on Thaksin, however your observations re Man City are way off the mark.

Let me enlighten you.

Man City have tried to buy SEVERAL players this last few weeks.

They have not been able to buy them however it is NOT because Thaksin has not come up with the money.There have been other reasons.

Example. 1) Peter Crouch(Liverpool) Attempted to buy him and were quoted 15 MILLION POUNDS.Trust me on this, if they had paid 15 millionn for him it would have been simply stupid, he is worth no more than 10 million on todays prices, and even that is OTT.

2)Re the Brazilians from CSK, they did not want to move.

Milito,Podolski,Fred,Cisse,Zigic, Guiza

Man City have attempted to buy all of these guys!!! Either their club will not let them go, else the club is still involved in European competition, which Man City are not, therefore they do not want to move as they will miss out on Europe.

Finally, there has been very little transfer movement this January, there are many clubs who have not bought players, so again John do not look too deeply into this re Thaksin as you are well and truely barking up the wrong tree. There are too many other things which you can nail on Thaksin. Right now he knows he is in a win/ win situation with them, there would be no benefit in him leaving or casting them adrift right now.

Ok I will back off on this because I am not following it too closely. I was just looking at his past and how quickly his discards people and things after he is done with them. So I will just sit on the sidelines for now and see what happens with this topic.

Your character assessment of Thaksin is accurate, and I have no doubt in my mind that some time in the future, when it has run its course and there is no longer any gain (financial or personal) that he will drop them like a hot potato. But that time is not right now, as there is too much upsides for him at the moment

Very interesting that no big names have been signed in the January transfer Window.

Begining of the end.

I predict Sven gone by end of season Man city finish less than half way.

Give the Kid a coconut.

[nickynomates]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/04...cs_30072213.php

"I saw the flag but the match was in progress" : Thaksin

By The Nation

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he saw the Thai national flag that had his name inscribed in Manchester City stadium but did not do anything because the match was in progress.

"Yes, I saw the flag that day, but did not do anything because the match is in progress. I had the fans who hung the flag informed after the match finished," he said.

Thaksin who returned to Bangkok from London on Sunday is the owner of Manchester City football club.

Several photos taken from the club's stadium showed his name inscribed on a Thai national flag. The matter caused dissatisfaction among Thai public and it goes against laws in Thailand.

He claimed the fans did it because they did not know it was prohibited in Thailand and because they "loved Thailand and the club."

"The fans are now well aware that the actions caused unhappiness in Thailand. They asked me to convey their regrets. They did not know and understand our culture. When they were informed, they felt sorry and stopped doing that," Thaksin said.

Are these really the thoughts and words of English football fans?

Or is somebody else putting words into their mouths?

I am also sorry to say that if the fans side with the players and Sven and they see that this can wind Thaksin up and makes life difficult for him in Thailand there will be a lot more flags of this nature.

The average football fan will go for any weakness if things are not going there way.

All is fair game on the Terrace.

[mrbojangles]

Fans sticking by Sven-Göran Eriksson

Manchester City fans plan to protest at Anfield today as it is confirmed Thaksin Shinawatra plans to sack the manager

*will Mr. BoJ be joining in?*

No John. It's at Anfield, so i'll be watching it on TV, in my local watering hole.

[Plus]

Scolari denies Manchester City link

09:45 May, 3, 2008

http://www.fansfc.com/frontpage/frontpagen...p?newsid=184559

and

Phil Scolari delays reply to Manchester City

By Tim Rich

Last Updated: 12:40am BST 03/05/2008

Fearing the media intrusions that forced him to pull out of succeeding Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager, Phil Scolari will not formally accept the offer to take over from the Swede at Manchester City until after the European Championship in the summer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...3/sfnmac103.xml

[sriracha john]

He claimed the fans did it because they did not know it was prohibited in Thailand and because they "loved Thailand and the club."

Illogical. Then why go to the trouble of inscribing his name on the flag and why not just use a normal flag??

What he is really saying is....

He claimed the fans did it because they did not know it was prohibited in Thailand and because they "loved me and Thailand and the club."

in which case, it moves from Illogical to Dishonest.

[sriracha john]

Get To Know Thaksin Shinawatra *Video*

If anyone has been living on a different planet from the rest of us now is your chance to get to know the former Prime Minster of Thailand, and current owner of Manchester City Football Club, Thaksin Shinawatra. The video lasts 7 minutes 49 seconds.

Some may see this as Vital Manchester City expressing a political statement; however, this couldn't be further from the truth.

We are here to report the news and hopefully allow fans to speak their minds.

What do you think of Thaksin Shinawatra? Spare no blushes; just tell us what you think.

- Manchester City Football Club News / 04.05.08

YouTube LINK:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a very good summary chronicle of Thaksin's atrocities...

*edit. I see they lost again yesterday.

[sriracha john]

My gut instinct (though I couldn't care less about English soccer) is that his Man City initiative will end in tears

But the shenanigans in Bangkok last weekend were a sign of a pernicious and unnatural twist in the evolution of English football. Somewhere down the line, it can only end in tears.

- Guardian (UK) / 20-11-07

This is all going to end in tears

As suspected it's all going to end in tears

so when his highest paid staff doesn't do as he's told, then it's bound to end in tears

I have some sympathy for Man City supporters, but if they did their homework they would have realized that it would all end in tears.

no more tears...

Eriksson will not shed any tears

To those Manchester City supporters who turned up in admirable numbers at Anfield yesterday, sporting the t-shirts, waving the banners and chanting the name of their beloved leader, a word of advice. When Sven-Goran Eriksson bids farewell next week, hang on to the "SOS" gear. It will come in useful next season.

Welcome to the mad, bad, predictable world of foreign ownership, where a top ten Premier League finish after years of underachievement counts for nothing. Thaksin Shinawatra, City's Thai owner, has tired of Eriksson. Phil Scolari has been approached. Which is a nice touch. Changing "Save our Sven" posters to read "Save our Scolari" will be a doddle.

City fans are struggling to come to terms with events behind the scenes. In the eyes of those who have been genuinely impressed by City's efforts this season, Eriksson can do no wrong. A first double over rivals United in 38 years earned legendary status that not even a wobble in the second half of the season can damage.

But this is not a popularity contest. It's business.

Shinawatra demanded a Champions League berth in return for the £40 million transfer kitty he handed the Swede last summer. Eriksson, despite bringing in genuine talent such as Elano and Martin Petrov and blooding youngsters like Stephen Ireland and Michael Johnson, failed to deliver. And as we all know, there is nothing more galling for a well-heeled owner than the inability of his highly-paid manager to come up with the goods.

Hence the resigned look on Eriksson's face yesterday. He acknowledged the support of City's fans but refused to give any assurances he will still be in charge beyond the trip to Middlesbrough next week. "It's not good to talk before the season is finished," he said. *seems now the Thai tour is less than certain???*

It was a class act. There was no climbing on the Sky soap box to vent his frustrations. Others may have used the occasion to rant, rage and weep at the perceived injustice. But not Sven.

Because every dignified response alerted yet another chairman or owner to the availability of precisely the sort of manager you would pay millions to employ. The former England coach is back in the big time, his reputation restored. City fans may need consoling next week. So too the players. But not Eriksson.

Europe is on the alert. Eriksson is ready for a crack at the Champions League and if that means checking out of his hotel suite in the north west of England to further his career in Spain, Italy or Portugal, so be it.

Sadly for City supporters, there is no silver lining.

Even if Scolari were to climb aboard and more money made available, the treatment of Eriksson has left a nasty taste in the mouth. His bags are packed and who can blame him?

- The Herald (UK) / 05-05-08

[marshbags]

ESPNsoccernet

Match Information

Stadium: Anfield, England

Attendance: 43,074

Match Time: 16:00 UK

Referee(s):

M Halsey (Referee)

Much of the game had been dominated by City fans venting their anger at the likely sacking of their manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, but it was Torres who again stole the show.

Troubled Manchester City - who have lost four of their last five - recalled captain Richard Dunne, with Gelson Fernandes dropping to the bench.

Sven grateful for fans backing

Sven-Goran Eriksson thanked Manchester City fans for their remarkable show of support as he faced the growing prospect of being sacked when the season ends.

The City boss had seen his side lose 1-0 at Liverpool to Fernando Torres' 32nd goal of the season on an afternoon dominated by his own future.

City's fans gave plenty of backing to the former England coach, with banners and songs which drowned out the Kop in this Barclays Premier League clash.

It is believed that Eriksson has been told by owner Thaksin Shinawatra that he is likely to be axed, despite massive shows of support from the club's former directors and owners who have been trying to persuade the former Thai prime minister to change his mind.

And afterwards Eriksson said: 'The support for me was fantastic, of course it is.

'It makes me stand up from the bench a lot but I can do that, no problem.

'It was fantastic, of course I am thankful. They have been fantastic all season, incredible.

'Maybe it will not affect things, I don't know. But we have one week to go until the season is finished.

'But I would appreciate it if people would accept that we will start talking after that.

'We will not be talking tomorrow, more so next month.'

Eriksson's reaction to remarks from his agent Athole Still that he would not be in charge at City next season, was: 'He said that? They should work and not talk.

'I heard he had said something, but he has not spoken to me at all.'

However, Eriksson believes he will be taking the squad on a summer tour to Thailand, saying: 'I suppose we will be going to Thailand, it is a tour and part of the programme, I don't think it has been changed.

'It will be a combination of playing football and a holiday, which can't be bad. The weather is better than here.'

But Eriksson was soon showing his gratitude to the club's fans, saying: 'They are wonderful, especially when you see all the support and we haven't won anything. We are going in the right way. The side is improving.

'I expect to know what will happen after the last match. If you speak clearly to people, the situation will come out. If you do not speak clearly, it will not. We can wait a week. That is not a long time.

'I think we have done a good job. Before the season started we did not really know what would happen, and how the new players would react to the Premier League.

'We started well and we were high in the table and the dream of all of us was about Europe. Now that is finished.

'But to finish were we are is good. We are a very young team, a lot of young players, and they will be better next season.

'It is a good start. And if you compare where the club was a year ago you can surely see the improvement.

'The reason I accepted Manchester City was the project. It was a big club, but it was not doing too well. It is fantastic to build up something new, something better.

'We speak about the future. This club will have one, so will I have one.

'If you talk about targets, we cannot be worse than ninth. And if a small miracle happens next weekend we could be eighth.

'It is good. It would have been better to qualify for Europe, I agree, but next season that could happen.'

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez also acknowledged the amazing backing for Eriksson from City's fans, saying: 'They were good, very good.'

As this is about a certain owner, i have tried to post on topic in relation to the contnent.

They match and football related report can be accessed on ..........................................

Ref url http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=239777&cc=4716

Unquote.

Thaksin it would seem is yet again in denial when it comes to the thoughts and priorities of Man. City supporters.

Man City fans while not being disrespectful to Thailand, do not really care about the owners origin and he in turn ought to respectfully remember that.

Thaksin is i am afraid, bringing the club into non football related issues and i genuinely feel that from day one his own ego is all he cares about.

He will not / cannot keep his mouth shut on what are obviously comments of definite self interest, while not giving a fcku about Man. City or the supporters, and that for my money is the main bone of contention and always has been.

Chaos, confusion, contradiction, ect. ect. as always continue to follow him accordingly.

marshbags

[marshbags]

Thaksin asks Manchester City players to bow

Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has hit the club with another shock by asking for the players to bow to him Thai-style before each game, Sunday Mirror reported.

Officials at the Eastlands club have been worried for some time by requests from Thaksin - and his latest is for the team to bow towards him after performing their pre-kick-off sporting handshake with the opposition.

Bowing is a traditional mark of respect in Thaksin's native Thailand. But some at City see this as another example of how the former Thai Prime Minister is turning the club into his personal dictatorship.

A City insider said: "At first we thought it was a joke, but the owner was serious about the players paying their respects. It's just not going to happen."

Sunday Mirror Sport revealed three weeks ago that Thaksin's relationship with manager Sven Goran Eriksson was at breaking point.

And the former England coach will be sacked at the end of the season, despite being less than 12 months into a three-year contract.

Thaksin aims to placate fans by bringing in Phil Scolari after the Brazilian's contract with Portugal expires after Euro 2008.

He is preparing to sack Eriksson against the wishes of all the high-ranking officials he retained at the club when he took over last summer.

Former chairman John Wardle, chief exe cutive Alistair Mackintosh and legal expert Bryan Bodek could follow Eriksson out.

City fans are furious about Thaksin's treatment of Eriksson - and some have demanded season ticket refunds after the Swede issued a personal plea on marketing material urging supporters to renew.

Quoted via the Nation from the Sunday Mirror

ref url for the mirror article is :-

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/footba...98487-20404661/

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh DEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, Now he really is showing his well known piss taking arrogance ????

Got to be extracting the urine, surely.

[mrtoad]

Man City paying for Thaksin Shinawatra plan

By Alan Hansen

Last Updated: 1:46am BST 05/05/2008

The Manchester City owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, has broken the one essential rule of running a football club. If things are going well on the pitch, everything should be all right in the boardroom. Instead, with remarkable perversity, you have a situation where things have gone better on the pitch for Manchester City than they could ever have imagined in August and the club is in complete turmoil.

True, they have not ended the season well but if the first and second halves of the campaign had been reversed, perhaps Thaksin's view of Sven-Goran Eriksson might have been very different. He would go into the close season happy enough with progress rather than having to deal with a completely self-inflicted crisis.

Praying for success: Thaksin cannot expect to transform City at the same speed as Chelsea

It is one thing having a master plan but it has to be based on some kind of realism and he cannot expect to transform Manchester City at the same speed with which Roman Abramovich transformed Chelsea, who were already a top-four club when he bought them five years ago.

If Thaksin wants perfection, he has to remember that he has bought Manchester City, a club who last finished in the top four back in 1978. They are a long, long way from the Champions League but the style of football they have played is light years away what we saw under Stuart Pearce last season.

History tells you that, if you buy players at the speed Eriksson bought them in the summer, some will be very mediocre but largely his transfer record can be judged a success.

They have won the Manchester derby twice and I cannot imagine that any Manchester City supporter who had to sit through the turgid football the club produced last year could realistically have expected any better. The vast majority want him to continue and, although I am not in the Manchester City dressing-room, it appears the players are also solidly behind their manager.

advertisementBut the fact is that without Thaksin, Eriksson would not have come to Manchester City in the first place. It is one thing looking fondly back to when Liverpool was run by David Moores but the hard truth is that he did not have the money to finance a new stadium, which at Liverpool remains the absolute priority.

When you invite people like Thaksin in, you have to accept that they own the club, it is their money and they can run things as they see fit. And if that means ignoring the obvious signs of progress under Eriksson, then so be it.

Thaksin, like Tom Hicks and George Gillett at Liverpool, was welcomed with open arms and the irony is that of all the foreign owners who have come into English football none encountered more opposition than the Glazer family, who have been the most successful.

They have massively increased ticket prices at Manchester United and introduced unpopular measures like forcing fans to buy tickets for the Carling Cup. But, crucially, they have kept their opinions out of the dressing-room and frankly, running a club like Manchester United that was debt-free, had the biggest brand in world football and a 76,000-seater stadium that was paid for, was a no-brainer. Since their takeover, they have won one Premier League title, are on the verge of another and have reached a Champions League final. However, if that had not been the case, if Manchester United were still being eclipsed by Chelsea, if they were still nowhere near reclaiming the European Cup, it would have been natural for them to intervene to safeguard their investment.

Looking at the Premier League this season, you wonder how many owners really understand English football. Do they sit down and start planning how they are going break into the Champions League or do they imagine that they just have to throw money at the situation and they will automatically join the elite? And do they understand that Aston Villa, Newcastle and Tottenham, to mention just three, are also attempting to break into a top four, which this morning seems more impregnable than ever? If you look at the squads that are finishing this season, you would still say that the only team that appears strong enough to break the cartel is Tottenham.

There are some foreign owners, like Randy Lerner at Aston Villa, who appear to have a long-term plan with their managers, but they are increasingly in a minority. This is no longer 1965.

Expectation and the demand for instant rewards is now colossal and no owner wants to be missing out on the big party.

If you put a fortune in, you always want a bigger fortune out.

[sriracha john]

Is this another publicity stunt for Toxin?

Saw this flag in the Nation website. Someone wrote Thaksin's name on it. Isn't that some kind of vadalism? Hope that some good lawyers can comment!

Thaksin's lawyer Noppadope has some good comments. He's not very good, but will he do???

Foriegn Affairs Minister: Thaksin Not Involved in National Flag with His Name

The Foreign Affairs Minister believes former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has no involvement with the controversial national flag with his name displayed on it during a Manchester City game.

Foreign Affairs Minister Noppadon Patthama says he has yet to be informed about a giant Thai national flag with the name of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on it, displayed at the City of Manchester City Stadium during a recent English Premier League match of Manchester City Football Club, owned by the former Thai premier.

Noppadon says the display of the controversial national flag likely has no involvement with Thaksin , though he was found to be watching the game at the stadium.

However, the minister says if the Thai people are displeased with the matter, he is ready to ask for clarification from the club.

Meanwhile, an English newspaper, The Sun, has reported that the Swedish manager of Manchester City Football Club, Sven Goran Eriksson, could be dismissed after this season due to the team's recent poor performance.

The Sun quoted a club insider as saying that the recent meeting between Eriksson and Thaksin at the Carrington training ground was unpleasant.

Meanwhile, an onlooker at the training camp saw Eriksson speaking to his players about his leave this summer, but they still want the Swedish manager to stay in charge.

- Thailand Outlook (today)

Thanks sriracha john.

Looks like Toxin gets all the attention that he is seeking right now. This shows WHO is the BOSS when so many ministers running out to defend / 'explain' such an act!

Same as Noppadope was speaking for Thaksin regarding the unfreezing of his assets, so too is he speaking here again for Thaksin. A current high level member of the Cabinet acting as no more than a lapdog for Thaksin.

This whole thing of Thaksin on the National Flag harkens back to two previous incidents. (Both described below) The more recent one was the inappropriate use of the National emblem and the other when he was Prime Minister and inappropriately used the designated royal flag as handouts during his campaign rallies.

Thaksin Shinawatra's Manchester City Football Club have fallen foul of the law by displaying a banner featuring the club logo with the Thai national flag in the background.

Police Special Branch pointed out Thursday that the use of the national flag in such a way was a breach of the National Flag Act 1979, and punishable by up to a year in jail and/or Bt2,000 in fines.

Police Special Branch deputy commissioner MajorGen Trithosa Ronnaritthiwichai said the banner breached Article 53 of the bill,

He said police would issue a warning to the violators and that they would be arrested if they continued to use the flag on their banner.

When it comes to inappropriate use of this nation's symbol, Thaksin is no stranger....

as his checkered history reveals...

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets farmers during yesterday’s visit with his son Panthongtae to Ayutthaya, where his supporters rallied in the Wang Noi area of Phaholyothin Road.

Thank you for the pic, Jai Dee.

There is an important issue that has the missus absolutely livid about these Thaksin rallies and it's evident in your posted photo.

The issue is that the flags that are being handed by Thaksin staff to attendees of Thaksin's rally.

Particularly, the phrase ทรงพระเจริญ that is inscribed on many of the flags, which is more evident in this photo:

This phrase translates as "Long Live"... and has always been exclusively used to refer to His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family.

His self-importance has become a bitter pill to swallow for many, many Thais who refuse to swallow it... eg. http://www.thainewyork.com

I'm told that historically in the past, the punishment for such thievery of Royal terms and phrases

was beheading, not only for the offender, but also for next seven generations of the offender.

(of course I'm not advocating that, but it gives an indication of the level of affront that he has given to many Thais).

Not sure if there's been a change in Thaksin's campaign strategy, but photos of yesterday's rally in Chiang Rai with the obligatory flag-waving failed to depict the insulting flags previously flown at other rallies or maybe his staff are just more adept at confiscating the offensive photos.

I am STILL very interested in hearing what Thais think of the above photo depictions and what they implied... ask your significant others what their opinion of this. Mine was abhorred by it.

An additional news photo and info scanned from Thai newspaper:

He really does border on the brink several times.

Although, as has been mentioned on here before in posts by others, he really did run Thailand as if it really WAS Thaksinland.... so it's a fitting depiction of that:

Inching ever closer to his goal of Thaksinland, I see....

Thaksin asks Manchester City players to bow

Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has hit the club with another shock by asking for the players to bow to him Thai-style before each game, Sunday Mirror reported.

Officials at the Eastlands club have been worried for some time by requests from Thaksin - and his latest is for the team to bow towards him after performing their pre-kick-off sporting handshake with the opposition.

Bowing is a traditional mark of respect in Thaksin's native Thailand. But some at City see this as another example of how the former Thai Prime Minister is turning the club into his personal dictatorship.

==========================================

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh DEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, Now he really is showing his well known piss taking arrogance ????

Got to be extracting the urine, surely.

[Siripon]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/04...cs_30072213.php

"I saw the flag but the match was in progress" : Thaksin

By The Nation

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he saw the Thai national flag that had his name inscribed in Manchester City stadium but did not do anything because the match was in progress.

"Yes, I saw the flag that day, but did not do anything because the match is in progress. I had the fans who hung the flag informed after the match finished," he said.

Thaksin who returned to Bangkok from London on Sunday is the owner of Manchester City football club.

Several photos taken from the club's stadium showed his name inscribed on a Thai national flag. The matter caused dissatisfaction among Thai public and it goes against laws in Thailand.

He claimed the fans did it because they did not know it was prohibited in Thailand and because they "loved Thailand and the club."

"The fans are now well aware that the actions caused unhappiness in Thailand. They asked me to convey their regrets. They did not know and understand our culture. When they were informed, they felt sorry and stopped doing that," Thaksin said.

Are these really the thoughts and words of English football fans?

Or is somebody else putting words into their mouths?

A sports journalist told me that the officials at Man City's ground try to check all banners brfore home games, fearing some anti-Thaksin banners may be displayed, embarrassing Frank. It was unlikely, he concluded, that the Thai flag banner with Thaksin's name could have been shown without approval.

[younghusband]

I think it quite clear from the last two posts that Thaksin has a case to answer for under Thai law, and that he deliberately planned the display of the offending flag to show disrespect and cause trouble.Indeed this incident may well have been part of the infamous Finland plan designed to bring down the greatest of Thai institutions and to introduce a totalitarian dictatorship.

The alternative explanation is of course quite unacceptable, ie that the Thaksinophobes on this forum and elsewhere have been driven crazy by their hatred and look for subversion where in fact there is much much less than meets the eye, comically so in this case.

[mrbojangles]

A sports journalist told me that the officials at Man City's ground try to check all banners brfore home games, fearing some anti-Thaksin banners may be displayed, embarrassing Frank. It was unlikely, he concluded, that the Thai flag banner with Thaksin's name could have been shown without approval.

The officials may have to start checking now but they certainly weren't doing it before this incident. Random checks for various things have been happening for a long time but not searching everyone.

You also say the sports journalist said "the official's at Man City's ground try to check all banners". That to me suggests that many banners can get through unnoticed. So how the journalist can summise that the flag would have been therefore shown with approval, is beyond me. A typical gutter press journalist, sensationalising and summising that 2+2=5. Instead of using the facts laid down.